How It Should Have Ended: The Reynolds Pamphlet
by ILoveCheetos but IAMTIMELESS
Summary: Maria was silent for a moment, staring at him, dumbstruck. Finally, she shook her head, sighing, "Oh, Alexander.." "Don't you 'Oh, Alexander' me-" But he stopped as he watched her wipe her face vigorously, then tie her hair back into a familiar ponytail. Hamilton froze, then paled, his expression one of someone who had just seen a ghost.


Once again, this was written by my friend AteIsa, so all credit goes to her. Basically all I did was cry happy tears while reading this.

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 **Author's note: I wrote this fanfic because I recently listened to Congratulations, and Angelica's roasting fuelled me to write this lol, enjoy**

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A hurried pattering of feet sounded as the door opened, then shut immediately.

Hamilton ran to the entrance to see the last person he wanted to: Maria Reynolds.

"What are _you_ doing here?!" he growled.

She gave him a hurt look, then glanced outside a window at the crowds of people handing the "Reynold's Pamphlet" around. She took in a shuddering breath worriedly, "Alexander, what have you-"

"You know very well what I did," he snapped back.

Maria gave him an indignant look. "I hope you regret what you did, then."

Hamilton scoffed and crossed his arms angrily, "I've had the worst day of my life today, so yes, I do. My sister in law now wants to make 'Roasted ham', my wife has isolated herself, and my children are all angry with me. Oh, yeah, and my boss is extremely disappointed, and besides that, Jefferson is rubbing the fact that 'I can't be president now' in my face."

Maria raised her eyebrows, "So this is my fault?"

"Practically!" Hamilton threw up his arms.

Maria crossed her arms, nonplussed, " _You_ were the one who published this affair in the first place!"

"It was an act of political sacrifice!" He burst.

Maria recoiled, " _Political Sacrifice?!_ that's what this is to you?"

"Yes!"

Maria was silent for a moment, staring at him, dumbstruck.

Finally, she shook her head, sighing, "Oh, Alexander.."

"Don't you 'Oh, Alexander' me-"

But he stopped as he watched her wipe her face vigorously, then tie her hair back into a familiar ponytail.

Hamilton froze, then paled, his expression one of someone who had just seen a ghost.

"Y-you.. You.."

She smirked at him with a haughty expression, "Did you miss me?"

Alexander slowly began backing away, and his eyes started tearing up, "It can't be!"

She stared at him for a moment, her expression slowly changing from annoyance to pity. His breathing became erratic as she began slowly taking careful steps forward. He took another step back and stumbled slightly.

"This is an omen," Alexander breathed, "God is angry with me for what I have done, and now I am for sure about to die-" but he stopped as Peggy grabbed his hands, and as he felt the warmth, the pulse, the life running through her veins, he slowly relaxed and didn't jerk his hands away like he would have.

He couldn't meet her eyes, so kept them focused on his and hers entwined fingers, "Peggy.." Alexander whispered silently.

A tear dropped down onto their clenched fists. Peggy smiled, then shook her head at him, "You know, you _really_ invented a new kind of stupid."

Hamilton grimaced, his hands tensing up a bit, "So your whole story was just a set up?"

Peggy gave him a disappointed look, as if she had expected him to find out sooner. "Obviously. I just wanted to prove to my dear sister that you DO have faults and that she should have gotten to know you a bit longer before getting married. I know my sister like I know my own mind, and you will never find anyone as trusting or as kind. Sometimes, I think it's a bit of a flaw." she added with a long-suffering sigh.

"Then why did you have to pretend to be dead?!" Hamilton let go of her hands again, wiping the perspiration and tears off his face - he was clearly shaken.

Peggy nonchalantly shrugged, as if seeing someone you thought was dead - well and alive, for that matter - happened everyday, "That wasn't my idea, it was Angelica's."

"That doesn't mean it was nesce- wait."

He took a moment, running what she just said in his mind, and his face clouded over as he gave Peggy a peircing gaze.

"Peggy, were both Eliza _and_ Angelica in on this?"

Peggy sighed with mock-regret. She looked over her shoulder and called out, "Don't let him vent out on me, please."

Out from behind the curtain came Angelica, and Eliza popped out from a chest. Eliza looked quite sheepish as she went to stand by Peggy, while Angelica followed with an expression of triumph and disappointment at the same time.

Hamilton's jaw dropped, his mind going completely blank.

Angelica sighed, "Alexander... You've redifined your legacy, congratulations."

"Congratulations?! Angelica, why?!"

She gave him an upset look.

Eliza took a deep breath as she came forward, "Alexander, I'm sorry. I-"

"NOW you tell me this?! I thought you were on my side!"

Eliza bristled a little. She looked like she had no idea what to reply, but suddenly burst, "Speak for yourself! I thought you were on mine!"

Hamilton stopped, and she clenched her fists as her eyes filled with tears.

Angelica and Peggy crossed their arms and gave Hamilton a pointed glance, and he and the two of them had a short, silent debate as to who would comfort her. Finally, Hamilton awkwardly shuffled forward.

He slowly put his arms around his wife's shoulder and whispered, "I'm.."

He took a deep breath, glancing wearily at the two other sisters, who nodded at him.

"I'm... Sorry."

He had said it with a bit more force than he had intended, but Peggy and Angelica looked at him with approval while Eliza's sobs became less desperate as she slowly collapsed to the ground in a sitting position, Hamilton following.

Alexander let out a breath, nice and slow, then squeezed her shoulders. He kissed her forehead gently, "Everything I got because of this... I guess I deserve it. I shouldn't have done what I did."

Peggy nodded vigorously.

Hamilton frowned at her, then turned back to Eliza, gently taking her hands away from her face.

"I'll do anything to make it up to you."

She stared at him, eyes full of tears, then kissed him.

Peggy sighed, rolling her eyes a bit.

Angelica could only smile proudly.

Peggy groaned and shook her head at her.

Eliza silently laughed at their reactions as she gently pulled away. Then she turned to Hamilton with an expression that made her husband feel nervous, "I know what you can do."

He grimaced. He winced a little at the look Angelica and Peggy gave him, then nodded at his wife.

She flashed him a little grin.

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Hamilton walked forward, and the whole congress, including Burr, Jefferson and Washington, stared at him.

Hamilton coughed, "I'm sure you all read my pamphlets by now."

Washington shook his head, sighing in utter disappointment. Burr gave him a painfully neutral look, and Jefferson snickered.

Hamilton made a pained face, but didn't make any witty retort, for once.

"Yes. It's true that I did that. I just-"

"Wow, now you're a walking, talking 'Reynolds Pamphlet'? I didn't realize you could get any dumber." Jefferson smirked suddenly, "'Guess you can."

Hamilton looked flustered as he bristled angrily, but he still didn't reply.

Jefferson laughed, "Now I've got you tongue tied? This really _is_ my day."

Hamilton bit his lips, and he looked up to see that Washington was giving him a stony stare, and it made the secretary fidget.

Jefferson, taking advantage of his silence, kept right on insulting Hamilton, who looked determined to continue keeping his mouth shut, as was evident with his ceaseless fidgeting and his holding of his breath angrily.

Washington furrowed his brows, and the other members of the congress soon joined in jeering at him.

Hamilton kept silent, taking all the blows. He took a deep breath, counting to ten in his head.

Afterwards, he determinedly added _For Eliza._

Another insult hit him, and Hamilton winced. He was slowly making himself smaller and smaller. He had never, ever, allowed himself to be so vulnerable, and he hated how it felt.

His breathing soon became uneven and desperate, and as another insult made it's way, it cut him deep inside, like a knife through the heart.

His already-wounded heart pounded faster, and sweat dripped down his face.

He closed his eyes in resignation.

Suddenly, as if on que, the door slammed open. Alexander's eyes flew open just as Eliza burst forward.

Everyone quieted down almost immediately - save for a few snorts of laughter - as she stood protectively in front of her husband.

Eliza put her hands on her hips and gave them all a death glare that made even Washington feel like shrinking back, "That's enough of that. I already forgave him for what he did."

Jefferson stared at her in silent, disbelieving surprise with one eyebrow raised.

There was a sound of muffled steps on carpet as Philip ran forward, giving his father a glance, "Me, too." he smirked.

Some people still looked wholly unconvinced, but Hamilton, who was gaping at his wife and son, could only blink in surprise, and he looked like he almost wanted to cry. _After everything that I've done-_?

He was shot out of his thoughts as Eliza grabbed her husband's shoulders and kissed him right on the lips right there in front of everyone.

Everyone gaped silently.

Some people covered their eyes and coughed silently in embarrassment, while others continued to stare, goggle eyed.

Hamilton felt himself blushing, but didn't pull away. He grabbed Eliza around the waist and pulled her closer, and there were more sounds that indicated everyone was starting to feel quite uncomfortable. Philip, on the other hand, was grinning at them like this was the best day of his life.

Almost abruptly, Eliza pulled away, then she laughed at Alexander's dazed and shocked face as he stumbled backwards. He looked really quite lightheaded and confused at what just happened.

Jefferson glanced at Washington, who was trying not to smile.

Hamilton gathered his bearings long enough to lean closer to his wife, blinking confusedly, whispering, "This isn't what was supposed to happen."

"I know," she smiled, grabbing his hand and pulling him outside.

No one made any objections, as they all seemed to be too shocked to say anything. Hamilton took that as a good sign.

Philip trailed after them silently, giving Thomas a glare.

Jefferson frowned back at him.

Hamilton looked back for a moment to see Philip closing the door.

Hamilton almost felt drunk. His mind seemed unable to comprehend anything that just happened, even if he could remember it quite clearly. He felt so giddy that he felt like he was floating off of the ground.

He turned back to his unusually cheerful Eliza, "Then.. why did you do it?"

Eliza held his hand tighter, then tugged on his arm, causing him to collide with herself gently. He blinked as she wrapped her arms around him in an embrace.

"Because I still - and forever will - love you."


End file.
